The Tokyo Metropolitan Police and about 400 staff on Sunday held an antiterrorism drill to prepare for the Tokyo Marathon.
About 36,000 runners are expected to take part in the marathon on Feb 28.
Police held the antiterrorism drill at Tokyo Big Sight which will be the finish line for the marathon, Fuji TV reported. The drill was carried out under the scenario that persons carrying bags and acting suspiciously were spotted near the venue. Spectator evacuation procedures were practiced while security dogs were used to take down the suspicious persons.
Also, there was a drill on the assumption that an unauthorized drone might fly over the venue, launched from a boat in Tokyo Bay.
Last year, 60 police officers were deployed in the race in response to concerns over threats of terrorism. They wore white vests bearing the word "POLICE." Each member ran about 10 kilometers while carrying anti-terrorism gear in small backpacks.
© Japan Today
7 Comments
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Goodlucktoyou
Don't bomb civilians in foreign countries and you can save billions and live in peace.
Steve Crichton
They are wasting their time.
mistie710
People carrying bags! Whatever next?
Wc626
Wow, they're taking it over the top. Guess better to be safe than sorry. I think the only problem police in Tokyo face, as far as any kind of unrest, are a bunch of Turks & Kurds throwing blows again.
katsu78
I suspect the article is a poorly-explained reference to the Boston Marathon bombing, where the attackers used pressure-cooker bombs in oversized backpacks that they then abandoned in the crowd before making their escape.
I wonder what they thought the drone would do... take unauthorized pictures of runners? I also wonder how they would could do anything to stop it.
clueless
People acting suspiciously…what would that look like?
TrevorPeace
It's amazing that some of you commenters think it couldn't happen, and that a training exercise is a waste of time. Training is never a waste of time, and terrorism knows no borders, has no conscience, and simply wants to kill and maim in the name of some fantasized diety. Happens everywhere. The problem is identifying a nutcase, and that's a real problem in tens of thousands of people. I'll go with the J-cops on this one.